WASHINGTON — When Interior Secretary Ken Salazar makes his return journey to Colorado, he will spend time with his granddaughter, earn some money likely as a natural-resources lawyer, and reconnect with the small communities that launched his political career that led him here four years ago.

Salazar wants to be a voice on immigration reform and join the professional speaker's circuit to speak his mind as he wishes, his friends say.

He also hopes to serve on the boards of organizations that work on the issues he cares about: water, conservation, renewable energy and public lands

Though the secretary did not grant interviews Wednesday, plenty of his friends in Colorado and D.C. were awash in ideas for how the former U.S. Senator could re-brand himself.

The plan: Diminish negative inside-the-beltway associations and broaden his appeal to help position another statewide run.

"I would give you dollars to donuts that Ken Salazar's political career has many chapters yet to be written," said Mike Stratton, a Salazar friend and chair of his 2004 Senate campaign.

Serving in the Senate in the mid 2000s — before being asked by President Barack Obama to run Interior four years ago — Salazar was known on Capitol Hill as one of the successful cross-the-aisle Western moderates.

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But his current higher-profile gig meant more mano a mano with energy companies and Republicans. After the Deepwater Horizon well explosion, he imposed a temporary moratorium on the drilling technique and grew oil and gas regulations that infuriated the GOP on the Hill.

Obama on Wednesday congratulated Salazar for his work in this area.

"Ken has helped usher in a new era of conservation for our nation's land, water and wildlife," he said in a statement. "Ken has played an integral role in my administration's successful efforts to expand responsible development of our nation's domestic energy resources."

Even Salazar's biggest foes universally wished him luck Wednesday — but noted they hoped to work with another Secretary who would better serve energy interests.

"I'd like to thank Secretary Salazar for his service," said Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma. "He has worked very hard the past four years and no doubt sacrificed time away from his family in order to do the job. I look forward to working with his replacement on what I hope can be pro-growth energy policies."

"We remember the tough days that followed the Deepwater Horizon incident during which Secretary Salazar presided over a moratorium on permits that created significant uncertainty for energy production and energy security," he said. "The legacy of the Interior five-year plan has charted a course for the fewest lease sales in a generation."

In the coming years, Salazar may try to renew some of his Republican friendships in Colorado and strengthen his moderate tone to appeal to a swing audience.

"Clearly there were troubles on his watch," said Craig Hughes, a Democratic consultant who ran the successful Obama campaign in Colorado last year. "But he is seen as a problem-solver, of trying to get things done. Regardless, he probably comes out of this with more enemies, and he probably comes out of this with more friends."

Floyd Ciruli, a Denver-based pollster, said he didn't think the tar of Washington — or any of the highs and lows at Interior between 2008 and 2012 — will cripple an ambitious 57-year-old Salazar if he wants to run for governor in six years.

"I think he has a statewide footprint," Ciruli said. "It's amazing how quickly, when you're no longer associated with an administration, that people start to see you the way they used to see you."

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